In the recent years, competition in Brazil’s private banking sector has increased exponentially, with the two leading banks being Bradesco and Itau Unibanco. Behind the success of Bradesco lies Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi, the bank’s current President, and CEO. He assumed the role in 2009 but had joined the entity in 1969, slowly rising through its ranks to become Bradesco’s top executive. Upon taking up Bradesco’s presidency, Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi implemented strategies that would improve the bank’s position of industry leadership.

He is native of Marilia, Sao Paulo; this is also the city where Bradesco was first established. Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi graduated from the University of Sao Paulo with a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. He then went on to the School of Sociology and Politics of Sao Paulo, where he attained a postgraduate degree in Sociopsychology. He began working with Bradesco as a clerk in 1969, and has operated in several strategic departments including marketing, insurance, and private pension.

As the head of Bradesco, Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi also bears significant influence in the economic and financial landscape of Brazil. This is because he has insight on economic and investment matters that are important to both political and business leaders. This also allows him to play a role in most of the major financial operations in Brazil.

His biggest strategy was not to focus not only on acquiring and maintaining market leadership but also on improving on their weaknesses, as well as building on their strengths. This was to be bolstered by the acquisition of smaller financial institutions and banks so as to expand its reach and serve more customers. Bradesco’s greatest accomplishment came about in 2015 when Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi led the purchase of HSBC Brazil in a transaction valued at $5.2 billion. It followed the acquisition of Spanish BBVA, BoaVista, and BMC during the reign of Marcio Cypriano.

Through this purchase, Bradesco has made significant steps in recovering most of its market share and gaining new ground. It puts Bradesco in a good position to overtake Itau Unibanco in terms of the number of account holders, branch network, and investment funds available. The transaction also narrowed the gap in loans granted, assets, and deposits between Bradesco and Itau Unibanco. Due to the role he played in the purchase, Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi was recognized by Dinheiro as the Entrepreneur of the Year in Finance in 2015.

Innovative Business Leadership

The achievements and gains made by Bradesco can be attributed to the unique style of leadership implemented by Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi. He created an enabling environment for employees at all levels to vocalize their thoughts, ideas, and strategies. By creating a corporate university, Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi allows members of Bradesco to learn new leadership techniques and promote autonomy in thinking. This allows the bank stimulate organic growth by enhancing its internal performance and operational efficiency.

The career of Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi is characterized by progressive growth and success in the financial services sector of Brazil. It also exemplifies Bradesco’s culture of nurturing leadership and business continuity. He is the bank’s fourth President after Marcio Cypriano, Lázaro Brandão, and Amador Aguiar, the bank’s founder. He is a persistent individual, whose expertise in Brazil’s private banking sector has been able to shake up and transform the industry.